Living in Your Memories
by ShitanePaiko
Summary: A story of how Lea and Isa came to meet and how they turned into the Nobodies Saix and Axel. How did a quiet antisocial student become best friends with a talkative social guy? Isa x Lea.


_Okie...new fanfic. XD. This one is an Isa x Lea fanfic. It's basically how they meet and become awesome best friends. XD. Then, at the end, there's maybe gonna be Saix x Axel which is almost the same thing...XD…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts._

_And thanks to my editor Byaku for editing all this! XD...lol...and I just tossed this many paged thing into your face...XD_

_(I can't math at all what is my life arghhhhh i need to master integrals fml seriously)_

_((1+1=3. XD I can math very well))_

* * *

><p>A blue haired teenager strides into class, heading straight to his seat with his gaze steadily staring ahead of him. His books, cradled to his chest, thumps against him with each step, a sensation that he has long gotten used to. He stays silent on the way to his desk, even though everyone else around him is chatting eagerly with their friends. As he sits down, a light tap on his shoulder makes him turn around.<p>

"Hello, Isa." a short silver-blue haired boy greets.

Even sitting down, Isa is still able to meet the standing boy's eyes with his own without lifting his head.

"Hello...Ienzo." Isa replies quietly.

It seemed so strange that such a young boy, that looked nearly several years younger than Isa, would be in the same grade and class as him. But then again, Ienzo is smarter than most people in his grade, perhaps even in the whole school, even though he looks like a small child. Ienzo is the only person that Isa ever talks to in school. But they never talk like they are friends, only as mere acquaintances. It is because of their shared love of science that they even say hello to each other at all. Even so, their prefered field of science still differs. Isa is more interested in the distant wide open outer space while Ienzo would rather be in the closed rooms of a white lab, performing the chemical experiments he loves.

"Hey. Um...I kind of left my notebook here yesterday. Someone found it and placed it on top of that shelf over there...but...uh...I can't reach up there. Mind helping me?" Ienzo asks as he stares at his notebook sitting way up on top of the shelf.

Sighing, Isa nods and stands up. He swiftly walks over to the shelf and pulls the notebook down for Ienzo. "Here…"

"Thanks, Isa. I owe you one."

Isa shakes his head. "That...no...er...not necessary..."

A sudden loud laugh from the other side of the room makes Isa look up. A redhaired boy sits on top of a desk, his face grinning as the happy laugh bursts from his mouth. A crowd of girls surround him as he eagerly chats with them all. The words, the jokes, and the teases all flow easily out of his mouth. The girls giggle in response as they continue to crowd around him.

"How..." Isa whispers unconsciously.

Ienzo blinks. "Huh?"

Isa continues staring at Lea, almost in a hypnotized gaze. "How does he talk to people like that...so easily?"

Ienzo shrugs in response, hugging his notebook to his body. "Must be a natural talent that he has. It's no wonder he has so many friends and girlfriends...shame that he dumps them all."

"I wish...that I could talk to others as easily as he does…" Isa sighs.

"Heh...that would be nice for you. I swear, I'm the only one you ever talk to. Other than that, you're just a closed up turtle shell. Even I have some sort of small social life. You need to get a social life."

"Easier said than done..."

"Well...goodbye and thank you again." Ienzo says as he walks off to his seat.

Isa stands there silently, once again alone with no one to talk to. His gaze continues to follow Lea, watching as he chats with everyone, the words from his mouth flying out smoothly, with no guilt or embarrassment to hold them back.

…

Lea grins as another one of his jokes make those around him laugh. The girls are all talking at once, eager for him to listen and notice them. Of course, Lea fulfills each of those wishes for them. After all, that's how a man should treat ladies.

"Yes, those earrings do look dazzling on you." Lea replies to a girl's question with a smile even though he didn't really care about it. He just said what they wanted to hear. "They match your blue eyes."

The girl beams happily at Lea, looking like a jar of glitter that is going to explode and rain sparkles everywhere.

Lea sighs within his mind. The constant company and the attention is nice and sort of flattering. He has lots of good friends and is a total hit with the girls. However, they all want the same thing. They wanted Lea to listen to them talk about themselves. Rarely is Lea able to share with someone his own feelings. He just wants someone who can understand his real feelings and thoughts, not the ones that just bubbled on the surface. He needed someone who could reach deep within his heart and grab a hold on those feelings buried deep within him, the ones he never shares.

His gaze suddenly locks with the blue haired boy across the room. Lea watches quietly as the boy rapidly looks away, ashamed to have been caught staring.

"Right, Lea?" a girl's voice next to him squeaks.

Lea jerks his gaze away. "Huh? What?"

The girl lets out a huff. "Weren't you listening?"

"Uh...sorry...I was just thinking. Can you repeat what you just said?"

As the girl speaks, Lea looks up again, watching as that boy scurries back to his desk.

…

Isa looks away immediately as soon as Lea catches his gaze. A small embarrassed blush crosses his face as he rushes back to his seat, making sure to keep his head down to avoid the gazes of other people and any conversation. His heart beats rapidly within him, almost skipping a few beats out of panic.

Isa returns to the quiet and unimportant person he is while all the people around him continue chatting until the bell rings. For the rest of the day, he goes on unnoticed, studiously taking notes in class and keeping to himself like usual.

* * *

><p>It is always the night sky that Isa loves the most. Only then are the stars out, twinkling brightly against the canvas of the dark night sky. And then there is the moon. Isa stares up at the glowing orb in the sky, hanging there like a lightbulb. Tonight is the full moon, the time he enjoys looking at the moon the most.<p>

Isa stands in his front lawn with a telescope pointed up at the moon set up in front of him. Silently, he peers through the eyepiece and at the moon, seemingly in front of him, within his grasp. A rare small smile graces his lips as he starts writing things down on a paper in front of him.

For the last few years, he had sketched every single full moon there was, noting each small dark crater and each small bright hill he could see. When the moon wasn't out, he would instead stare at the stars and scribble down any constellation or interesting star he could see.

A sudden loud yell from Isa's left makes him jerk his head up in surprise.

"Look out!"

The next thing Isa knows is that he and someone else is tumbling onto the floor. His elbow hits the floor with a jarring impact as the other person lands on top of him followed by the sound of metal crashing against metal and the screech of tires.

Isa gasps, his heart beating rapidly in his chest as his mind slowly tries to figure out what happened. The person on top of him, silhouetted by some bright light, slowly gets off him and offers a hand to help Isa up, which he gladly takes.

In the blinding light directed at him, the first thing Isa notices is a car driven way off the street and onto the front lawn. The tires of the car leave black marks all the way to where he was standing a few moments ago. A drunken teenager carelessly pushes on the gas pedal and the car screeches off before Isa can distinguish who they are. As soon as the light from the headlights stop shining in his eyes, he notices his telescope, smashed to pieces by the car.

"No!" Isa chokes out as he rushes over to the scattered pieces of metal and glass. "No…"

Behind him, the sound of footsteps against the grass makes Isa look up.

"Ouch...that telescope's long gone…" the person says as he stares at the wreckage. "Are you okay though? Those stupid people..."

Isa nods dumbly as he tries to place a name on that person's face. That spiky hairstyle…that casual voice... "Lea?"

"Huh? Yeah...that's me." Lea leans forward to study Isa's face. "Hey...aren't you that quiet kid in some of my classes that never talks to anyone and just studies?"

Isa silently plays with his fingers behind his back as he struggles to respond. "Umm...yeah...I guess...err…"

"You're welcome." Lea replies upon seeing Isa struggling with words to say. "Isa right?"

Isa's eyes widens in surprise. There were actually people in the world that know his name other than his family and Ienzo? He nods slowly, staying silent with no words to say.

Lea stares back at the broken telescope and the tire marks. "Shit...you could have really been killed right there... Heh...it's a good thing I happened to take the long way home tonight. You sure you're not hurt?"

Isa nods, ignoring the pain in his elbow. His gaze stays at his feet, unable to look up and meet Lea's gaze.

"Well...this is a terrible way to meet a new friend, but nice to meet you?" Lea smiles as he holds his hand out.

Isa merely stares at Lea's hands as the word 'friend' rings through his ears. His mind struggles to comprehend this. Was he hearing things?

With a sigh, Lea takes Isa's hand himself and shakes it. "Are you really so antisocial that you don't even know what a handshake is?"

Isa blushes with embarrassment and shakes his head rapidly. "I...just…"

"That was a joke by the way. You know...a joke...a thing that someone says to make other people laugh. Don't tell me you don't know what a joke is either?"

Isa starts to reply until he sees the huge grin on Lea's face, realizing that that was a joke as well. "Um…"

"Well, if you don't, get it memorized."

With that, Lea walks off with a small wave, picking up his skateboard on the side where he had tossed it. Isa watches silently as Lea walks off. Suddenly, the day does not seem as long as it usually seems.

* * *

><p>The next day, Isa walks into class as usual, his quiet self ignoring everyone else. The events of last night flutter around in his brain, but it no longer seems real, only a hazy dream. After all, why would anyone want to be friends with an antisocial freak? But as soon as Isa sits down, Lea comes running over and just sits on top of Isa's desk along with the books already placed there.<p>

"Hey there Isa! How are you?" Lea asks with a huge grin as if this is normal.

Isa scoots back, staring at Lea just sitting there on his stuff. "Uh...um...h...hi?"

Lea leans forward and grins some more. "You really need to learn how to speak up."

Easier said than done. Isa blushes, fiddling with his fingers, something he always does when he is nervous. "Ummm…."

The bell rings, saving Isa from having to say anything else.

* * *

><p>After school, as Isa starts on his way home, a hand suddenly touches his shoulder. He spins around rapidly, almost whacking the person with his backpack.<p>

"Whoa! That was a close call...I could have gotten a concussion if that hit me." Lea yelps as he jumps away just in time. "I swear...you carry like pounds of books in there…"

Isa blushes as he scrambles to apologize. "Sorry! I...I…"

"I know you didn't mean it." Lea laughs as he pats Isa's back. In his other hand he holds his skateboard. "So, are you on your way home? Mind if I walk with you?"

Isa stands there as crowds of people stream around the two of them, his mind fumbling for a response. "Uh...um...yeah...wait..no...i mean...no I don't mind...not yes I do mind...and um…"

Lea laughs again. "That's a funny way to say 'okay'."

Isa blushes, silently yelling at himself for being so awkward and stupid. He stares at Lea's skateboard. "Why…"

Lea tilts his head in confusion for a little while as he follows Isa's gaaze. "Huh?...Oh...You mean why don't I skateboard instead because it's faster?"

Isa nods, relieved that Lea knows what he means.

"Cus if I skateboard, then I won't be able to walk with you. Simple."

"Oh…"

"Should we go?" Lea asks as he starts walking.

Isa nods slightly and trails after Lea as they head off towards his house. For the first few minutes, neither of them speak as they continue on their path. Isa stares at his feet, each silent second making him feel even more awkward as they go. He just wants to get home where he doesn't have to deal with the life around him as he waits for the night to come.

At last, Lea sighs as he comes to a stop. "Lesson one for changing from an anti social science geek into a friend, at least look me in the eye when you or I talk...or at least my face. The ground's a rather boring place to look at in my opinion. And that also means quit walking behind me and walk next to me instead. I can't talk to an empty space besides me."

Isa bites his lips, his gaze still fixed on the ground as a burning red heat goes up to his cheek.

Lea rolls his eyes. "Don't tell me you don't know how to look up either. Judging by the time you spend looking at the night sky, I expected you to know this already."

Isa looks away, ashamed of himself. Is there really any way he would feel comfortable looking someone in the eye? Will he ever be able to chat, unlike those short conversations with Ienzo, with someone without having a nervous breakdown? Is there any hope for him to gain an actual friend?

Lea frowns as he gazes at Isa's dejected look. "Hey...did you really take that seriously? Oh crap...I'm sorry. That was supposed to be a joke...I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings or anything…"

Isa closes his eyes for a few moments before moving ahead without saying a word to Lea. Suddenly, the world just feels even lonelier than before. Lea stands there for a while before rushing to catch up with him.

"Are you mad at me?" Lea asks softly as he places a hand on Isa's shoulder.

Isa stops walking and quietly shakes his head as he draws in a shaky breath. "...n...no…"

Lea stares at Isa for a few seconds, his brows furrowed in worry and confusion. "Wait...are you crying?"

Isa suddenly starts running, sprinting around several corners before losing Lea. The sharp pain of loneliness burns in his throat and eyes, eating away at his very existence. He enters a few dark alleyways and throws his backpack on the floor, scattering his books everywhere. Slumping against the wall, he slowly collapses onto the dirt.

Will he ever be able to make friends? He really wants Lea to be his friend, but no matter what, it is already hard to even speak to him. Isa buries his head into his arms. He hates his inability to talk with others. He hates his antisocialness. He hates himself. How would he ever learn to speak with others?

"There you are!" Lea pants as he finally spots Isa, hopping off his skateboard as he enters the alleyway. "I thought you had lost me back there…"

Isa curls up tighter, glad that Lea came after him but afraid to say anything. After all, he did ditch Lea back there.

"Hey...what's wrong, Isa? Was it something I said?" Lea asks softly as he sits down next to Isa. The silence from Isa persuades Lea to keep talking. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Talk...if Isa is able to talk about it, then there would be no problem at all. He shakes his head slowly. It isn't that he doesn't want to talk about it. It is that he can't.

Lea looks up at the sky. "Well...then...in that case...wait right here for me. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Isa doesn't respond, seemingly to have not heard Lea's words. However, he stays there, unmoving until Lea returns.

"Here." Lea says as he holds out a bright blue ice cream on a popsicle stick. "Want one? It's the best in town...sea salt ice cream. I think it's awesome. Try it."

Isa looks up hesitantly at the ice cream. Slowly, his hand reaches out and gently takes hold of the stick. His eyes stare at the ice cream for a long time, almost like he is hypnotized by the bright blue colour.

"Hurry up and eat it before it melts." Lea smiles gently as he looks at Isa.

Finally, Isa brings the ice cream up to his lips and gives it a small lick. His eyes widen as a salty, yet sweet, flavor bursts in his mouth. His mind wonders how this is possible while the rest of his body yearns for more. Suddenly very hungry, he takes a larger bite out of the ice cream, savoring the salty sweetness with utmost enjoyment. One bite after another. He just can't get enough of it.

"Good, right?" Lea grins as he watches Isa devour it. "I knew you would love it. Who doesn't?"

Isa finishes the sea salt ice cream in no time, licking his fingers for any remaining melted ice cream. Lea finishes his own soon after with similar eagerness. With a yawn, Lea stands up, stretching as he stares up at the darkening sky.

"We should get going soon before it gets dark…"

Isa quietly stands up, placing his books back into his backpack before hurrying to to catch up with Lea who has already begun walking. His hand suddenly moves on its own and lands on Lea's shoulder, making him turn around slightly to gaze at Isa.

"Hm?" Lea grins as he tilts his head. "Got something to say?"

Isa closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. He slowly opens his eyes and looks at Lea straight in the eye. His heart thumps in his chest, panic flooding through his body as he struggles not to look away. His knees shake slightly and he bites his lip. Pushing away the fear for just a moment, Isa opens his mouth to speak.

"Thank you…"

Lea stands there, almost shell shocked as he stares at Isa's aqua green eyes. At last he recovers himself and grins at Isa. "You're welcome. That's what friends are for, right?"

Isa nods, a feeling of gratitude and relief overwhelming him. "Yeah…"

The two of them slowly begin making their way back as the sky slowly dims and the stars dance into stage of the night sky.

* * *

><p>"Ice cream?!" Lea shouts loudly across the crowd of people, making the many students milling around stare at him. Of course, Lea takes no notice of this.<p>

Isa blushes as the stares turn to him as the students try to see who Lea is yelling to. With his head down and staring at his feet, he rushes over to Lea.

"So you wanna go get some ice cream today?" Lea grins as Isa approaches.

Isa nods. He had enjoyed yesterday's ice cream so much that he had looked forward all day until after school.

Lea grins. "Great! Let's go!"

So the two of them start walking briskly, almost to the point where they are running, to the ice cream shop. Along the way, Lea suddenly comes to a halt as something to the right of him catches his eye. Isa crashes into Lea's back, letting out a small yelp of surprise. Seemingly not noticing Isa, Lea continues to stare right through the shop window, his mouth slightly open in wonder.

Curious, Isa peers over Lea's shoulder to see what he's staring at. Inside the store window lies a pair of bright red frisbee, its colour as bright as Lea's hair. It's unique shape and curious flame picture on it makes Isa stare at it as well. These are no cheap frisbees.

Lea, without a word, goes into the store, dragging Isa along with him. Without hesitation, he walks up to the man at the cash register.

"How much do those frisbees in the window cost?" Lea asks, his eyes still sparkling with excitement and amazement.

The man looks up with a bored look on his face. "Twenty dollars."

"What?! That's fricking expensive!" Lea gapes. "I don't have that much money…"

Lea promptly walks out of the store, a glum look on his face. Isa follows after him, not sure how to comfort or cheer him up.

Lea takes in a deep breath. "Well...that sucked. The ice cream store is just right over there. But let's find somewhere good to sit first...I don't think sitting in a dark alley again would be the best place." Lea jokes, returning to his usual cheerful and talkative self. "I know a park with benches...it's only two minutes walk away. Wanna go there?"

Smiling slightly, Isa nods and follows Lea as he expertly weaves through crowds of people. Sure enough, in two minutes, they reach the park Lea was talking about.

On this fine spring day, the sun greets them from behind several large fluffy clouds, casting its dancing rays on the full green trees and the small colourful flowers bend to the breeze. The park is almost empty with only an old couple strolling around and several kids playing around in the grass. Never has the sun felt so welcoming to Isa.

"This a good place to sit?" Lea asks.

Isa nods, his eyes still taking in the natural beauty of this place. "Yeah...it's...it's perfect…"

"I'll go buy the ice cream. You can stay here and wait for me."

As Lea starts to leave, Isa reaches out and grabs his arm. "W...wait!" Isa blurts out. "Um...how much do they cost?" He lets out a breath of relief, glad to have managed to get the question out.

"Huh? Only four dollars per ice cream...why?"

"I...I'll buy it today…" Isa says quietly and hesitantly.

Lea blinks before grinning and replying. "Sure! How about we take turns buying ice cream...sound fair?"

Isa nods, before running off. His heart beats furiously in his chest. But for once, it isn't out of fear but out of pure excitement. He had done it. He'd managed to say something more than a few words to Lea that didn't sound completely awkward and crazy. For once, he had been able to do it. Maybe the two of them could be friends...

Reaching into his pocket, Isa pulls out three ten-dollar bills. Just enough money…

He sprints right past the ice cream store and continues on until he reaches the store with the red frisbee. Hesitantly, he stands there, staring at the frisbees through the window. Courage...he needs the courage to go into the store and buy the frisbees. He hopes that it takes as least words as possible to get it.

Finally, Isa musters up the confidence he needs to stride into the store and to the man at the cash register.

The man looks up from a newspaper. "Hey, weren't you with that redhead earlier who asked about the frisbees?"

Isa nods and places twenty dollars on the counter.

"You wanna buy those frisbees?"

Isa nods again.

The man stares at him strangely before taking the money and gesturing at the frisbee. "They're all yours…" He watches as Isa gently takes it. "Are you mute or something? Cus if you aren't, next time speak up when you want something. Other's might not know what you want."

Isa blushes as he puts the frisbees in a plastic bag. "I...I…"

The man grins. "Just tell your friend to enjoy the frisbees."

Isa hesitates at the door. Staring at the floor, he whispers a small 'thank you' before rushing out.

Quickly, he sprints to the ice cream shop and buys the ice cream for the two of them. As fast as he can, he runs back to the park where Lea sits waiting on a bench.

Isa comes to a stop at the edge of the park as he stares at Lea. The redhead lies on the bench with his arms behind his head. His eyes are closed but a small smile flickers on his face. He looks so peaceful just resting there. Isa stands there for a while, just staring as he catches his breath. Slowly, he finally approaches Lea.

Lea opens his eyes as he hears Isa's footsteps come nearer. "Hey." he greets as he stares up at Isa. "What took you so long? I was about to fall asleep."

Without answering, Isa hands Lea his ice cream.

"What's in the bag?"

Silently, Isa holds up the bag for Lea.

Curious, Lea sits up and reaches for the bag. As he peers inside, his face turns to one of shock and, for once, speechlessness.

"Whoa...did...did you…"

Isa smiles shyly as he goes back into the habit of playing around with his fingers behind his back. "Um...yeah...for you...the man at the store told me to tell you to enjoy it…"

Lea gapes at Isa. "...I...I...don't know what to say...wow...thanks...a lot. I don't know how to repay you for this..."

Grinning, Isa laughs happily, feeling the joy of giving someone a gift overcome his fear. "No need to...just seeing you speechless for the first time ever is enough. I doubt it's ever going to happen again in a quattuordecillion years."

Lea continues gaping at Isa. "Am I in a dream?"

"Huh? What?"

"Okay. First you get me these awesome frisbees. Second, you're talking, which is shocking enough. And finally, you actually made a legit joke...even though I don't know what quat-a-whutchamacallit is."

Isa blinks as he finally realizes how smoothly those words flowed out. Not once while he was speaking did he hesitate and worry about how awkward it might sound.

"Oh...wow…" Isa murmurs, unable to find the words to describe this phenomenon.

Lea laughs loudly. "Now you're the one who's speechless...which probably happens every day though…"

Isa grins as a feeling of warm comfort soothes him. "Shut up, Lea."

"Come on...I wanna try out this frisbee. Now get over there and catch it."

Isa blinks. "B..but...I don't know…"

"Just try!"

Reluctantly, Isa walks away from Lea with a sigh of defeat and stands several yards away. "O...okay…"

With a swift swing of his arm, Lea sends the red frisbee expertly spinning through the air and straight towards Isa. Surprised by the speed of the frisbee, Isa yelps and attempts to dodge it instead. The frisbee strikes Isa's forehead with a loud thump and Isa falls flat on his back.

"Crap! Are you okay!?" Lea shouts as he rushes over to Isa's side.

Groaning, Isa rubs his forehead. "Could have been worse…"

Lea lets out a breath of relief. "It's not bleeding...should be fine. Let's get home now before it gets dark...we can work on your catching skills some other day"

* * *

><p>"You sure your parents won't mind me coming over to your house?"<p>

Isa shakes his head. "They won't be home tonight anyways...both of them are at work…"

"Well, in that case, of course!" Lea grins as he gives him a thumbs up.

They sit on the park bench, having just finished their ice cream. It is just getting dark outside and the the air starts to turn frigid cold. The breeze is no longer welcoming but instead despised by their bodies as it chills their bones.

Isa shivers as he wraps his thick blue jacket around himself. "I swear it wasn't this cold yesterday…"

"Must be global warming…"

"Ugh…" Isa stares at Lea's clothing which consists of a thin vest, long pants and a thin yellow scarf, which wasn't much compared to the thick jacket and blue scarf he wore. "How are you not cold?"

"I dunno...just cus I guess…" Lea shrugs in response.

Isa smiles. Throughout the previous few days, he had felt more and more familiar with Lea's presence. No longer did he feel much panic or worry when speaking to him. Instead, comfort and a relaxing joy resounded within him whenever they talked.

"Let's get going to my house then...it's getting really really cold out here." Isa shivers.

Lea laughs. "Really? I think it's nice out...but sure. Let's go."

On the way there, the sun slowly sets behind the houses and trees as the sky darkens from a red to a black night sky. Isa stares up happily at the stars and the moon as he shivers even within the jacket.

"H...how...are you...still...not cold…" Isa murmurs through chattering teeth. "I..it's...free...zing…"

Lea laughs as he swings his arms around freely. "How are you cold? I still think it's still a bit warm out here."

"What...p...planet did you come from? Nep...tune? Have you grown im...immune to the cold there?"

Lea laughs again. Without warning, he pulls Isa into a huge hug. Isa gasps as he feels the heat and warmth radiate from his friend's body and through his clothing. The heat against his cold body makes him feel like there is fire dancing on his skin, yet the fire is soothing for some reason.

Isa stops shivering as he bathes in the warmth of Lea. "How…"

Lea smiles. "How are you so cold?!"

As they continue walking, Lea releases his hug on Isa. Groaning, Isa pulls Lea back towards him.

"Don't...you're too warm…" Isa mumbles. "I need it…"

Lea blinks but continues hugging him. The two of them walk awkwardly down the street, stumbling over each other due to the strange hugging between them.

When the two of them finally reach Isa's house, Isa rushes in, turning on the heater before the light. Lea flicks on the light switch after him with a sigh.

Motioning for Lea to follow him, Isa heads upstairs to his room where he has a huge window that has a wonderful view of the night sky. Lea walks into the room, staring around as he does so.

The walls of the room are plastered with many many posters and papers related to astronomy and the moon. There are charts and constellations of stars sketched out onto many sheets of paper followed by many various items about the moon. Neatly stacked on Isa's desk are pages filled with pictures and info about the moon. The walls, barely noticeable behind all the astronomy items, are a dark blue colour, almost like a night sky.

"Dude…" Lea gasps. "What is it with you and your obsession with the night sky and the moon?"

Isa blinks before looking around his room. "Oh…" He blushes. "Oh...um...well...it's kinda hard to explain...er…"

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Lea laughs. "I just find it...surprising to see someone so dedicated to studying the sky. It's not often that you stumble across a moon nerd like you. No offense."

Isa sighs. "None taken...but I kinda do want to talk about it...can you promise not to laugh nor to tell anyone else?"

"I promise." Lea says as he stares at the crescent moon on Isa's jacket. "So will you tell me now? You're making me very curious…"

Isa sighs as he sits down on his bed, stroking the soft blue colour of his blanket. "Well...it's like this...I've always felt alone because of my lack of friends and my inability to speak with others. Late at night when I am alone is the time when I actually feel sort of happy. The stars...and the moon...will always be in the night sky for me. They don't judge what I say and I can speak freely to them. They became my only friends...and well...yeah...you're not laughing at me are you? Talking to the moon and all…"

Lea shakes his head. "Nah...I promised not to right?"

"Thanks...sometimes, I just wished I could talk to people as easily as you do…" Isa sighs as he peers out the window at the moon.

Lea hesitates before speaking. "You know...I've got something to say about that. When you're able to talk to people easily, they expect a lot from you, I guess. Especially the girls. It gets kinda annoying sometimes. Sometimes, I just wish I can just go someplace with peace and quiet. You know...and just be alone with no one to bother me."

"No I don't know…" Isa murmurs quietly as he lays down in his bed. "I kinda wish I did…"

"Hm...well we always want what we don't have…" Lea sighs. "Mind if I lay down next to you? I'm getting tired of standing."

Isa blushes. "Oops...my bad." He rolls over to give space for his friend.

Lea gratefully flops down next to him. The two of them lay there in silence for a while.

"Cepheus…" Isa suddenly says as he stares out the window.

Lea blinks, confused on what Isa just said. "What?"

"The constellation named after a Greek king of Aethiopia. It has a huge black hole in the center and it's brightest star is the Alpha Cephei…"

Curious, Lea peers out the window over Isa's head. "Where?"

"You see that bright star near the top? A bit under that is one of the stars of Cepheus...and those four other stars are the other stars of the constellation. They connect to form a pentagon...and those other two stars are like the pentagon's tail…" Isa tries to explain as he points in its relative location.

"Uh…" Lea blinks as he tries to find it. "I don't see it...all the stars look the same to me."

Isa laughs, realizing how easy it was for him to find it. "Once you stare at the sky long enough, you start to see the difference and recognize certain stars and its positions.

"Wow...you know a lot about the sky, moon nerd." Lea smiles as he touches the moon on Isa's jacket.

Isa shrugs. "Well…"

"Staring at the sky, all I can say is that there is the moon and there are the many stars."

"Waning gibbous...that's the phase the moon is in right now…"

"What? Wait...nevermind...I probably won't understand the explanation anyways."

The two of them collapse in fits of laughter, until both lose their breath to the air of friendship between them.

* * *

><p>One day, as Isa and Lea sit in the park eating their ice cream, Isa notices that Lea is strangely quiet. The red head's eyes stays glued to the far away, a thinking look on his face, one that puzzles and worries Isa greatly.<p>

"Lea?" Isa asks as he waves his hand in front of his friend's face.

Lea jumps. "Oh! Sorry...was thinking about something."

"What is it?"

A mischievous grin creeps across Lea's face, one that Isa can tell meant no good. "You see over there...Ansem's castle? You know...the science dude...ever wonder what goes on inside it?"

"Oh no...we are _not_ sneaking into there. If you want to know, ask Ienzo. He lives there and works there too." Isa groans as he stares at the huge building.

Lea shakes his head. "I've already tried. That shortie won't tell me anything. Plus, it's gonna be fun."

"No."

"Please?"

"Do it yourself?"

"But it's funner with my best friend…"

"Still no."

Lea leans uncomfortably close to Isa. "Pllllleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase!?"

Isa blushes as Lea leans down closer, making him lean backwards until he was lying down on the bench. With their faces a mere few inches apart, Isa stares silently into Lea's turquoise eyes. Something flickers in Lea's eyes as his face suddenly turns thoughtful, a strange unrecognizable emotion crossing his face.

Isa coughs softly. "Um...Le-mmph!"

Lea suddenly presses his lips against Isa, resulting in a muffled yelp from the blue haired boy. Too shell shocked to move, Isa stays there frozen except for a heated blush that spreads from his face to the rest of his body. Lea slowly pulls away, finally realizing what he had just done.

"Oh shit! Isa! shit….I'm so sorry...I just lost control...shit…" Lea attempts to apologize. "Isa...I just…sorry!"

With that, Lea dashes off, leaving Isa there with a storm of thoughts and emotions surging through him. Isa can only watch as Lea leaves, his mind too puzzled to chase after his friend. Shakily, his hand raises to touch his own lips, which still tasted slightly of burnt salmon.

Laying in bed that night, Isa shifts around, unable to sleep as thoughts and questions of Isa invade his dreams.

* * *

><p>The next day at school, Lea does his best to avoid Isa by coming in right when the bell rings and leaving right when the bell dismisses them. Isa tries to catch Lea's gaze during class, resulting in a teacher scolding him, but Lea seems to look at everywhere other than at him. The redhead is also far less talkative to others than he usually is, responding only with short sentences without the passion and joy he normally has.<p>

It is only after school that Isa can finally talk to Lea. Touching Lea's shoulder gently, he sits down next to Lea on the floor at the back of the school.

"It's alright if you're mad at me…" Lea immediately blurts out. "I got carried away...and well…"

"You idiot." Isa sighs. "I'm not mad at you, idiot."

Lea gives Isa a small grin, though his eyes still hold a trace of sadness. "That's a relief to here...now...can we go back to before that happened...and like forget about it?" he asks hopefully.

Isa looks up at the sky for his moment, thinking out a response. "No. We can't."

Lea stares down at the ground with a dejected look on his face. "Oh...well...then...uh...can we-"

"Of course we're still going to be friends. Who else do I have?" Isa interrupts. "Over the night...I've been thinking. A person you love is one who you find comfort and trust in. That companionship...it doesn't matter if its between different genders or the same...love is still the same...and...I think...I think we've both found it…"

Lea's eyes widen as he stares at Isa. A glimmer of hope flickers in his eyes, like a burnt out flame being revived once again. "Wait...does that mean…you..."

Isa grins. "Is the official name of the moon 'the Moon'?"

Lea stares at Isa blankly.

"That means a yes."

Lea bursts out laughing between tears of joy and laughter. "Moon nerd!"

Isa stars laughing as well, finding the laughter from Lea unbearably contagious.

Lea suddenly grins mischievously at Isa. "So now that I love you, will you sneak into Ansem's castle with me?"

Grinning still, Isa lets out a sigh. "I'm never going to know why I agreed to this...but...fine…"

Lea hugs Isa. "Thanks...for everything…"

Isa rests his head against Lea's shoulder. "Yeah...Love you too, Lea."

* * *

><p>"I am not your <em>girlfriend<em>, Lea!" Isa whines as they walk through town.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Rumors that you had a girlfriend…"

Lea laughs with a grin. "I just told some girls that asked me out on a date that I was already taken. Can't blame me that they immediately assumed that you were a girl."

A wooden keyblade sword suddenly clatters in front of their path. Curious, Lea picks it up and looks over to where it came from. A blond boy, whom neither has ever seen, sits to the side and watches Lea give it a few swings.

"This yours?" Lea asks.

The boy nods slowly.

Isa lets out a sigh. "Lea, we don't have time for this…"

"Lighten up, Isa. This will only take a sec."

Lea calmly strides up to the boy as if he has known him for a long time. Isa watches, wondering just how Lea can talk to strangers so easily.

"You still play with toy swords? How cute." Lea grins. "Now this right here…" In a flash, Lea pulls out the pair of frisbees Isa bought for him. "Tada! Whaddya think?"

Isa stares in surprise at those frisbees. He didn't know that Lea carried them around with him in his bag. A small smile reaches his face as he realizes how much Lea has treasured those. And with the way Lea swings them around his finger, it is clear that he has spent a lot of time practicing and using it.

"Not a whole lot…" the boy responds quietly.

"You're just jealous. I'm Lea. Got it memorized? What's your name?"

The boy looks away for a few moments before responding. "Ventus."

"Okay Ventus. Let's fight."

That statement startles both Ventus and Isa.

"Fight? Why would I wanna do that?" Ventus questions.

"You scared of losing? C'mon." Lea urges, a playful yet mischievous grin on his face. He leaps back while twirling the frisbees in his hand. Looking back, he shoots Isa a wink before returning his gaze to Ventus. "Hope you're ready."

Ventus hesitates for a few moments before picking up the wooden Keyblade. A grin crosses his face. "You're going to be sorry."

Isa watches from the side as Ventus swings the sword with expertise, seemingly like he is one with the sword. However, Lea almost matches Ventus's skill as he tosses the frisbees in a way that makes them either rebound off something and back to him or like a boomerang, circling back and coming back to his hand. Isa watches with amazement as Lea tosses and catches those frisbees without even a glance. Yet, Ventus's sword skills surpasses Lea's skill by far as they engage in short distance combat, something that frisbees were not good for.

A few moments later, Lea lies on the floor, panting for breath as Ventus stands to the side victorious.

"You...had enough? 'Cus I'm willing to call it a draw if you are…" Lea gasps with a smile on his face.

Ventus laughs. "Huh?...right…"

Isa couldn't help but to tease Lea. "From where I stood, the only thing you can draw is a big L on your forehead for 'loser', 'lame', and 'laughable'."

Lea peers up at Isa with a grin. He attempts to put on a sad face. "Wha-...isn't this the part where ya...cheer me up or somethin'? 'You're just havin' a bad day.' or...'That's what you get for pullin' your punches!' Some friend…"

"Oh...you mean I was supposed to lie?" Isa replies innocently with a shrug.

Lea chuckles in response as he gazes back at Ventus. "You see what I have to put up with? Sure hope you don't have friends like him."

"Hey!"

The three of them burst out laughing to the point where they are clutching their stomachs and trying to get off the floor.

At last, Isa regains his breath. "Lea...we have to go…"

"Okay...see ya around, Ventus." Lea grins.

Ventus waves goodbye as he turns around and leaves as well. "Bye, Lea."

Isa shakes his head with a grin still on his face. "What's up with you and picking up stray puppies?"

"Puppies like you?" Lea replies. "Well...I just want people to remember me. In their memories, I live forever...plus, I've never seen him around town…"

"I know that I won't ever forget you...among with many other people who won't forget you." Isa frowns. "But I only exist in the memories of my family, maybe Ienzo, and you...huh...I guess I won't be able to live as long as you do…"

Lea pats Isa's back to comfort him. "Don't worry. I won't ever forget you…got it memorized?"

"You better not…"

The two of them gaze up at Ansem's castle. A flicker of mischievous playfulness passes through Lea's eyes.

"You ready?" Lea asks Isa, a smirk on his face.

"I can tell that you are…"

"You bet I am."

"Then let's go…"

A few moments later, they stand in front of the humongous castle, peering through the gates for any sign of people.

"So what's the plan?" Isa whispers quietly.

Lea grins. "Simple. We go in and try not to get caught."

"Wait! That's it! I thought you had a better plan than that! What do you plan to do...stride in through the front gates?" Isa hisses.

Lea shakes his head as he takes out a sheet of paper from his pocket. "Chill out, Isa...I stole a map of the place from Ienzo. There's a back entrance...and guess what...I stole the key as well."

Isa stares at Lea for a few moments before laughing softly. "Ienzo's not gonna be happy.."

"These were spares anyways...he's not gonna notice."

Quietly, without anyone noticing, they go in through the back and get into the castle. Using the map, Lea slowly navigates the empty hallways until they hear voices coming down the hallway. The two of them duck behind and wall and listens to the conversation.

"We've finally discovered it, Ienzo." A voice echoes with uncontrollable excitement. "We've finally figured out how to create Heartless. This breakthrough is unbelievable. Imagine what we can do with it…"

"But Ansem...he doesn't think this is ethical...dabbling with the darkness and the inhumane experiments on the people…"

"That doesn't matter. If he messes with our methods, we'll deal with it then. Now as for the creation of these Nobodies...we need people with strong wills. We take their hearts, convert them to Heartless, and leave behind the body and the soul."

"But, Even...who can we test it on…"

"Hmm...who has strong wills that you know of…"

Isa pales at what he hears. Human experiments. Heartless. Nobody. Just how far into darkness has Ienzo gone? Behind him, Lea's face shows a similar response of horror. A small gasp escapes Isa's mouth as he wonders how many people will die.

Ienzo and Even immediately turn around to look for the source of the gasp.

"Who's there!? Dilan! Braig! Aeleus!" Even shouts.

Lea lets out a squeak. "Fuck...RUN!"

The two of them make a dash down the hallways, madly turning corners in the maze as they don't have time to look at the map. Wherever they go, it only seems like they are getting even further and further into the castle.

"In here!" Isa shouts as he yanks open a door.

The two of them stumble in and slam the door behind them. Pressing their ears against the door, they hear the sound of several footsteps run past and fade into the distance.

Lea lets out a breath of relief. "That was close…"

A sudden clapping noise from the other side of the room makes them both jump. A man with white hair and a white lab coat steps out from the shadows. His golden eyes peer down at them with a curious glint in them.

"Congratulations for evading them." the man applauds. "But you won't be escaping me."

Isa turns and pulls at the door wildly, but the door doesn't open. Calmly, the man walks over and locks the door with a key that he slips back into his pockets.

"Nice try...but you push the door open from the inside." the man smirks.

"Who are you?" Lea asks, a burning confidence burning in his eyes as he steps in front of Isa.

The man studies Lea carefully. "Fierce, aren't you. What might your name be?"

"Lea. Yours?"

"What about your friend?"

Isa finds the courage within him to stand up next to Lea, feeling as if Lea's presence makes him stronger. Trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, he speaks up. "Isa. Now what's yours?"

"Hm...I would have thought you would have been quieter...but I guess you have have some fire within you as well. My name is Xehanort. Welcome to my lab."

"Let us go!" Lea growls as he whips out his frisbees.

Xehanort laughs. "Those things are useless...nice try though. My Heartless can overwhelm you easily." He looks over both of them once again. "But I don't think I want to hurt you guys just yet...you two are perfect vessels…now I have eight..."

"Vessels? What are you talking about?" Lea presses on.

Ignoring Lea, Xehanort walks to the door and unlocks it.

"They're in here!" he yells down the hallway.

Soon enough, two men come racing down the hallway. Isa groans. Given the size and the speed of the men, they aren't going to be able to get away.

"Ah...Dilan...Aeleus...take these two boys out of the castle please."

One of the men, Dilan, grabs Lea and Isa by their shirts and drags them out of the castle.

"Hey! Put me down!" Lea growls angrily.

Isa sighs, with his arms folded across his chest. This obviously didn't go well.

Dilan tosses them out, sending the two of them sprawling on the floor.

Lea groans. "Ow! Jeez…"

Isa sits up and sighs. "Well...we didn't get into too much trouble. Let's just forget about it and go get some ice cream..."

"Alright…" Lea nods.

The two of them head off to get the ice cream. After that, they head to a grassy field nearby instead of the park they normally go to.

"Hey Isa...you know...the sky during the day is just as amazing as the sky in the night…" Lea murmurs softly as he gazes up at the blue sky.

Isa nods as he watches the soft white clouds drift lazily through the vast blueness. "Yeah...I never really noticed…"

"Maybe because you're always staring at the ground during the day."

"Shut it you meanie."

Lea laughs. "I love ya. Got it memorized?"

Isa grins. "How can I not? You practically live in my memories…"

"Good…" Lea sighs happily. "Remember me forever and I'll remember you forever…."

"Sure."

"Promise?"

"Yeah...promise…"

* * *

><p>Isa frowns as he gazes at Ienzo's empty seat. It isn't like him to ever be late or miss school. After all, Lea and Isa just saw him yesterday when they snuck into Ansem's castle and Ienzo looked absolutely fine.<p>

Isa shoves the strange feeling of dread and fear out of his mind. Ienzo is probably sick or something. Nothing to worry about…

After school as Isa and Lea gradually make their way to buy ice cream, Lea suddenly stops.

"There's someone following us…" Lea whispers.

Isa freezes, the fear that something bad is going to happen creeping up his spine like a spider. "Do you know who?" he whispers back quietly.

"It's that guy from Ansem's castle...Xehanort…"

Isa pales. "Not good...not good...what should we do?"

"I thought you would know!"

"Crap...uh...uh…"

"Come on Isa…"

"Let's try and lose him." Isa suggests as he starts walking briskly, almost running as he does so.

Lea nods and follows as they weave through crowds, turn around many corners, and enter many empty alleyways. At last, they come to a stop in a certain alleyway.

"This place…" Isa whispers. "It's where you first bought me that ice cream…"

Lea grins at the memory. "Yeah...you think we lost him?"

"I think so…"

"I think not." a voice echoes from behind them, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps against the ground. "You almost lost me once or twice...but in the end, you failed."

Isa and Lea turn around to find themselves looking at an approaching Xehanort.

"Shit...run!" Lea screams as he madly dashes the other way.

Isa turns rapidly to run after Lea but ends up tripping on over his feet instead. "Lea!"

Xehanort picks up the fallen Isa by his shirt. Struggling, Isa attempts to escape his grasp but ultimately fails. "One down...one to go..."

Lea turns around in horror. "Let him go!"

"Come with me quietly and I won't harm either of you…" Xehanort smirks as he shakes Isa like a ragdoll.

"And why should I trust you?" Lea shoots back. "What do you even want from us? I doubt stealing money from kids is your thing."

Xehanort just continues smirking as Isa lets out a weak gasp. "You'll see…"

Lea scowls and reluctantly trails after the scientist, keeping a constant eye on Isa to make sure he never harms him. They slowly walk through the streets toward Ansem's castle. Xehanort lets himself, along with Isa and Lea, in the castle through the front gates. He expertly navigates the long hallways until he reaches a certain room.

"Welcome to my lab...again" Xehanort laughs with a sweep of an arm.

"Where's Ansem? Does he know about this?" Lea asks suspiciously.

"He's...ah...not here…"

"What did you do with him!?"

Xehanort ponders that for a while. "Nothing you need to know. Now come in…"

The two of them stand outside the door for a few minutes, hesitant to enter as a wave of darkness and dread drifts from the room. Impatiently, Xehanort taps his foot against the ground, urging them to go in already. After a few more seconds of standing there, Xehanort finally just grabs Isa's shirt. He opens the door and swiftly tosses Isa in there.

A shrill scream echoes throughout the room. Worried and panicked, Lea rushes in after him, only to freeze several steps in. Isa lies on the floor, desperately scrambling away from the center of the room. Xehanort closes the door and locks it, preventing either of them from escaping.

"What...what did you do to them…?" Isa asks shakily, a pale look on his terrified face.

Xehanort grins darkly as he watches the five bodies on the floor slowly fade away. "Braig, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo...they're on their way to become Nobodies. My first five vessels of darkness, six including myself...but that comes later. They will now become Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion." Xehanort laughs as he turns to Isa and Lea. "Now which of you wants to become a Nobody first?"

Lea jumps up. "No fair! You said you wouldn't hurt us!"

"I lied." Xehanort shrugs as a silver Keyblade flashes into his hand. "What are you going to do about that? Toss your frisbees at me?"

Lea scowls. "You...you...stupid son of a bitch…"

Isa kneels down, feeling very lightheaded and dizzy. His breathing comes in short gasps as he gazes at the shimmering bodies before him. He looks up at Xehanort, realizing that the man's attention is all on Lea. Quietly, Isa pushes himself up to his feet. He urges his trembling body to inch towards the man one step at a time. His gaze silently connects with Lea's, sending a burning passion through him. For the sake of his and Lea's life, he charges at Xehanort.

Xehanort whirls around just as Isa brings his knee up and kicks him where the sun doesn't shine. Gasping, Xehanort collapses on the floor as he writhes around in pain. Isa dashes to the door and pulls at it, only then remembering that it is locked.

"Damn it!" Isa shouts angrily as he punches the door.

Lea rushes over to the door as well. "Nice kick, Isa…"

Isa sighs and collapses to his knees in frustration. "Why…"

Crouching down next to Isa, Lea hugs him comfortingly. "Hey...you tried at least. I never knew you had it in you…" he jokes as he tries to lighten up the mood. "Isa...remember me forever in your memories...got it memorized?

Isa lets out a small cry of dismay. "Don't say that Lea! We can make it out of here...right?"

Lea gives him a tiny smile. "Heh...I wish so…"

Xehanort finally stands up with a pained look on his face. "You little brat...that's it. You're going first."

Isa closes his eyes. "L...Lea...remember me forever as well."

Lea smiles as he holds Isa close to him. "Don't worry. I've got that memorized…"

"Thanks...I love you…"

Sighing, Lea bends down and places a small kiss on Isa's lips, reminding them both of the promises and happy moments between them.

Xehanort smirks as he raises his Keyblade. "How touching. Too bad I have to ruin it."

The next thing Lea sees is a flash of light and a swirl of darkness. A scream echoes next to him, engraving itself into the very existence of his brain. Isa's body goes limp and his lips slowly fall away from Lea's as the screaming stops. However, the scream resounds within Lea, forever living within him.

As the lights fade away, Lea stares at Isa, who slumps against him without any sign of life left in him. His body starts to glow and fade like the others.

"Isa!" Lea cries as he cradles the fading body to his chest. "Damn it…" A tear trickles down his face. "Damn it! Don't leave me!"

"Oh don't worry." Xehanort murmurs with a smirk. "You'll join him real soon. From now on, he will be known as Saix...and you...you will soon be known as Axel."

A flash of light. A whirl of darkness. A blinding pain. A scream. Nothing.

And then, he became Axel.

* * *

><p><em>AN: O_o...this turned out longer than I thought...I was gonna add more...but...uh…^^;...then that would be too long...XD. Whelp. Hope you enjoyed this. XD. And you guys probably know but I took the part with Ventus from the game and just stuck it in here with a few alterations. And of course sea salt ice cream always helps people and friends bond. XD._

_Thanks to my editor Byaku...who actually edited this hecka long thing._

_And please review! XD_


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